Reviewing Day and Night
The Earth is a sphere. The Earth rotates, or spins, in place like a basketball on your finger.
Click on the links below to answer the questions.

Instruction
Task
http://chalk.richmond.edu/education/projects/webunits/cycles/

http://www.ictgames.com/dayNight/dayNightDemonstrator.swf
What does earth's constant rotation cause us to experience? we move through the light, into the darkness, and back again. This makes day and night
How long does it take earth to complete one rotation? Twenty-four hours, or one day
From which direction does the sun rise? north
From which direction does the sun set? south
What do you think would happen if the Earth stopped rotating? How would this effect human life?
if the earth stopped rotating then one side of the earth would always be dark and the other light
Key Concept about Earth's rotation:
earth's rotation causes day and night
The Reason for the Seasons


Most every place on earth experiences four seasons a year. These are spring, summer, fall (autumn) and winter. During the following investigation we are going to explore the reason the different seasons occur.

As we consider the cause of the seasons we will need to understand the following:

  • The Earth's position on it's axis as it moves around the sun.
  • The way the sunlight strikes the earth's surface.
  • The Earth's movement around the sun.

The Earth Is Tilted!First, let's check out the Earth's position.

Instruction
Task
http://www.frozenport.com/Movies/Seasons.swf
What poles does the Earth's axis run through? the north and south
What do you notice about the Earth's position when the axis appears? it looks like it is tilted
What two hemispheres does the equator divide the earth into? northern and southern

Direct Light
Angled or Indirect light
conducts more
heat is brighter

doesn't conduct as much
heat and is not as bright


Key Concept: Which produces more heat? direct Which produces less? angled


The Ear
t
h Revolves Around the Sun

Instruction
Task
Click on the link. Observe the Earth's tilt in the simulation. http://www.ioncmaste.ca/homepage/resources/web_resources/CSA_Astro9/files/multimedia/unit3/reasons_seasons/reasons_seasons.swf
Is the Earth's tilt always pointing the the right or the left?
right
Copy the Northern and Southern Hemisphere tables below. Paste them on your wiki.
Describe the way the sun's rays are hitting the hemispheres during each of the season (direct, indirect, or equal).
Copy, paste and fill out Southern and Northern Hemisphere charts on your wiki.
http://www.ioncmaste.ca/homepage/resources/web_resources/CSA_Astro9/files/multimedia/unit3/reasons_seasons/reasons_seasons.swf
Do the Northern and Southern Hemispheres ever experience the same season? sometimes
What do you notice about their seasons?
most of the time they do not experience the same seasons


Northern Hemisphere

winter
spring
summer
fall
indirect
direct
direct
indirect

Southern Hemisphere

winter
spring
summer
fall
direct
direct
indirect
indirect
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